Load brace for fruit cars



Feb. 23, 1932. o. R. RODGERS LOAD BRACE FOR FRUIT CARS A 5 m. 7 e H f La; UL O Q olololQlWol JuH H TH u u 7.2, 1 5.owwwmwlmgu LL. T o mL VI. VL ILILIL E Vl. M., ,4 .6 l

O O G Inventur f -WQ 4 Hm. O .FJIN o 7. \O @15,/0 ,G 7% o O. O

vA Homey Fb- 23, 1932- o; R. RdB-GERS 1,846,757

LOAD BRACE FOAR FRUIT GARS Filed Jan. 2o, 1951 2 sheets-sheet 2 I n venior j?. gayer/u" Y li Attorney Patented Feb. 23, 1932 UNITED STATES oscAR n. nonenns, or CORNINGQCALIFORNIA LOAD VBRAGCE? FOR FRUIT CARS j Application filed January 20, 1931,. Serial 11o-510,025.

The present invention relates to a load brace for fruit cars or other railroad cars and has for its prime object to provide means for holding a load of fruit or other commodities in place in the car.

Another important object of the invention resides in the provision of an apparatus of this nature which is exceedingly simple in its construction, inexpensive to manufacture, strong and durable, thoroughly eflicient and reliable in use, easy to adjust, and otherwise thoroughly adapted for the purpose intended.

With the above and numerous other objects in view as will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in certain novel features of construction, and in the combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is an end elevation of the apparatus embodying the features of this invention.

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a side elevation of one of the adjustable headers, and

Figure 4 is a longitudinal section therethrough.

Referring to the drawings in detail it will be seen that the letters Gr denote two gates with adjustable uprightsA 5 and adjustable headers II associated therewith. Each gate is made up of a plurality of uprights 6 in view of which the parts 5 are connected. Each part 5 has its lower end adjustably connected to its upright 6 by a pair of plates 6 bolted as at 7 to the upper end of the upright 6 and secured to parts 5 by a removable pin or bolt 8. Thus the uprights 5 may be adjusted in length for different heights of cars. The parts 5 have at their upper ends caps 9 secured thereto by means of angle irons 10. The face of each gate is covered by a plurality of slats 11. On the back of each gate there are three bars 12 of channel iron bolted to the uprights 6.

In the present embodiment of the invention there are fifteen complete adjustable headers Each header .consists of two parts v14E anda. part15. `The headers are adjustable as to length by the adjusting pins 16 fitting holes 17 and 18 placed in double rows in the parts 14 and ljrespectively and staggered. Header parts 14 are connected to the channel irons 12 as at 19. The adjustable headers are made to fold into the channel iron when not in use and for storing purposes.

In operation the gates are pressed into place against the load by the use of jack screws and the adjustable headers are then put in place which holds the load in place v and away from the center of the car.

It is thought that the construction, manipulation, utility and advantages of this invention will now be quite apparent to those skilled in this art without a more detailed description thereof.

The present embodiment of the invention has been disclosed in considerable detail merely for the purposes of exempliflcation since in actual practice it attains the features of advantage enumerated as desirable in the statement of the invention and the above de-l scription.

It will be apparent that changes in the details of construction, and in the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit j 0r scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed or sacrificing any of its advantages.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is:

1 A, brace comprising a pair of spaced frames, each consisting of a number of uprights and spaced slats connected to the outer faces of the uprights, horizontal channel bars connected to the inner face of the uprights, the channel bars on one frame being in alinement with those on the other frame, a plurality of headers extended between the frames and connected with the channel bars, each header comprising a pair of channel members and a central channel member fitting in the pair of members, the outer ends of the members of the pairs being rounded and perforated, pins passing through the perforation and through certain of the horizontal bars to pivotally connect the headers to the channel bars and permitting the header parts to be olded into the bars, each channel member of the header having a plurality of holes in its flanges, pins passing through some of said holes for adjustably connecting the central member to the pair of members.

2. A load brace for fruit cars comprising a pair offrames each including aplurality of uprights, pairs of upwardly extending plates connected to the upper ends of some of said uprights, a vertically `arranged member litting between the plates of eachrpair, said plates having vertical rows of holes therein, pins passingrthrough certain off said holes and throughY the vertically arranged members for adjustably connecting themember Vto the Yupright .and shoes connected with the upper ends of thesaid vertical members. In testimony whereof ll affix my signature.

OSCAR R. RODGERS. 

